By Our Reporter
Before the political meetings, government offices and the responsibilities of leading a state, there was a small shop, hot akara, fresh bread and the early-morning rush of workers heading to work.
For Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, that simple beginning was more than a way to make a living. It became a lesson in business, persistence and the power of starting small.
Speaking during the state’s monthly covenant prayer service on Tuesday, Eno took listeners back to the days when he was not yet a governor, but an entrepreneur serving breakfast to customers.
“I started selling Akara and bread,” he recalled.
But he was not simply selling the traditional Nigerian akara. He found a way to package it differently.
“Back then, I was doing Akara Burger. We open the bread and put it inside for you,” he said.
The idea appeared simple: hot akara tucked inside bread, served to customers on their way to work.
Among those who became regular customers were workers heading to ExxonMobil in the mornings.
“People going to Exxon Mobil will buy it in the morning, take coffee,” Eno explained.
And what started as a modest akara-and-bread venture soon grew into something bigger.
“We started coffee shop and then they will take it,” he said.
Then came the revelation that caught the attention of many Nigerians.
“Every month, that Akara business used to give me nothing less than ₦10 million in a month,” the governor said.
For a country where many people are currently searching for ways to survive the rising cost of living, the story immediately struck a chord.
It was also a reminder that businesses that appear small from the outside can sometimes grow into profitable ventures when properly managed.
For Eno, the akara business was apparently not just about selling food. It became part of his education in entrepreneurship.
“We still have that shop there,” he told his audience, pointing to the place where the journey began.
His story has also revived an earlier national conversation about the economic value of small businesses.
Months earlier, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu had encouraged Nigerians to consider ventures such as akara, roasted corn and kuli-kuli as possible means of earning a living.
“We’re trying to give hope, and to start Akara business doesn’t take a lot of money,” she had said.
The comment generated mixed reactions, with some Nigerians questioning whether such businesses could meaningfully address the economic pressures facing ordinary citizens.
But the First Lady later clarified that the empowerment programme was broader, covering petty traders including tomato sellers, roasted plantain sellers, pepper and vegetable traders.
She also announced a ₦100 million intervention for 2,000 petty traders in Jigawa State, with each beneficiary receiving ₦50,000 to recapitalise their businesses.
President Bola Tinubu later joined the conversation, jokingly referring to his wife as “Iya Alakara” during a Presidential Press Corps Dinner.
Now, Eno’s personal account has added another dimension to the debate.
His story is not simply about akara.
It is about beginnings.
It is about the possibility that a person serving breakfast to workers in the early hours of the morning can eventually find himself sitting in the governor’s office.
And perhaps that is the part of the story Eno wants Nigerians to remember: never underestimate a small beginning.
Because sometimes, behind what looks like an ordinary roadside business is an entrepreneur learning the lessons that may one day shape a much bigger journey.
